This guys ability to articulate himself and make everyone in the room feel valued is becoming a lost art. What an absolute gem of a human being. Probably a top  three guest of all time.

Minnesotan here, This was a great episode. My wife’s great grandfather, Nolan Church, was a porter/cook on the Edmund Fitzgerald and is one of the 29 crew. He got a job on the Fitz at 50 years old after losing a mining job in Silver Bay, MN. His daughter (my wife’s grandmother) was just interviewed with her sisters the other day to talk about their father and the fond memories they have of him.
Thank you for doing such a good job at sharing this story and connecting with the people that still live it.

Not going to lie. I usually don't make it all the way through a podcast, even when they are on in the background.  But I sat and watched this one the whole way through in one sitting.

This was easily a Top 5 episodes ever. Absolutely fantastic.

In 1975 I was dating my college sweetheart. Her dad was the cook on the Anderson. When the Fitzgerald went down, we only heard a Lakes ship was down. I remember the anguish in my girlfriends family waiting to hear if it was her dad's ship. He tried to convince me to work the summers on the ship. Back then, it was guaranteed that I'd make $3000 just for the summer (about $18,000 in today's money). My girlfriend got really pissed every time he suggested it. She said if you go, you'll get addicted to the money and never come home. I remember when her dad came home during the winter. It was tough for him to adjust and for the family to adjust to him being home. I liked when he was home – he was an incredible cook. The crews seemed to eat really well. This podcast brought back a lot of memories.

I hope someday when some Hollywood director decides to bring this story to life, they give it the same reverence John has. What a tremendous effort he put into telling this story true. RIP to the Fitz and her crew.

Never knew Roger Goodell knew so much about the Fitz

John clearly understands Steve and the Meateater crew. Very refreshing.

One of the greatest episodes I've listened too on the Meateater

"does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"

fucks me up everytime

This dude needs to be hired on full fucking time boys

Possibly the best podcast episode I've ever listened to.

My sister was interviewed by Mr. Bacon for this book, and multiple family members got signed copies of it this past weekend while we were at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum for the family memorial service on Monday night (and if you watched the live stream of that service, you saw me and the sister he interviewed ringing the bell).

I clicked on this thinking it was a 10 minute clip or so, not realizing it was a full episode. I had no intention of watching 2 hours, but once it started, I couldn't stop watching. What a great episode and an incredible guest! This could have been twice as long and I'd still watch the whole thing.

John U. Bacon has done a great job on this. It’s so much more than just a book. Thanks to Steve and Meateater for having John on the show.
Heidi was 12 years old when her Father was on the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975. She was at a book tour event in Grand Rapids and I was able to pay my respects to her. She said, It’s just part of who we are….

I'm a lifelong Michigan resident and I was 10 when that ship went down, and this podcast was a massive trip down memory lane. Thanks with all my heart, awesome podcast, Bob.

My wife’s uncle was captain of Anderson - Bernie Cooper.
Family story is that Bernie “asked the crew if they would go back out , none declined…my wife is a river rat (Huron High school class of 74)
I’m cross town rival. Pioneer High  class of 75
Side point John Underhill Bacon

My Dad used to work for a construction company right next to the Coast Guard station in Ashtabula, Ohio. They would have lake freighters come in a couple times every year to deliver limestone. The boats would always come in at night to unload, because they were so big that they blocked other boat traffic in the small channel/canal there. One of my Dad's jobs was to work the overnight and be the guy on shore overseeing things in case the guys on the boat needed anything. My Mom would bring me and my brothers up once in a while to visit on those nights. It was so freakin cool! Those ships were like a skyscraper laid down on its side - they were MASSIVE! - - My Dad made friends with some of the sailors and captains and one time they invited him to come out on the boat as they went from Ashtabula over to Conneaut to make their next delivery. My Mom was going to pick him up in Conneaut. Well they got out into Lake Erie and a big storm came up so they couldn't get in to unload when they were supposed to. My Dad ended up spending the night out on Lake Erie with waves crashing against the ship all night. He said it was the scariest night of his life. - - I highly recommend a trip to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. It's an amazing place. I loved sitting and watching the boats come through the locks at Sault St. Marie too.

One of the best interviews I've ever listened to.

It's 1am in Japan when this dropped. I'll be staying up to listen to the whole thing